John Tavener

Work for Solo Soprano and large ensemble, commissioned for the 1968 Promenade Season. Text: Charles Peguy and children's prayers.

The Last Sleep of the Virgin was written for string quartet and handbells in 1991. It enacts the story of the falling asleep and burial, by the Apostles, of the Mother of Jesus. This work was commissi...

This work for viola, chorus and percussion was commissioned by the London Symphony Chorus, and was first performed in October 1994 at the Barbican Hall, London by Yuri Bashmet and the London Symphony...

Score (Cello, Tenor, Soprano, Chamber Group, Hammond Accompaniment) Written in memory of innocent victims, this dramatic piece is ideally performed within a church. It uses texts form the Gospels, St...

Six Russian Folksongs is a work by John Tavener, composed for Soprano Voice and Ensemble. The work was composed for the 15th birthday of the Nash Ensemble.

Tavener's 1994 work for voice and cello.

Set for Solo Soprano and String Quartet as premiered by Patricia Rozario and The Nash Ensemble.

John Tavener 'Agraphon' arranged for soprano, timpani and strings. Commissioned by the Athens Concert Hall, first performed on 29th October 1995. The music contains two symbolic ideas - the first bein...

The Hidden Face is a prayer, for solo counter-tenor, oboe, and a distant group of muted violins and violas. It tries to hold within it a whole tradition with nothing personal or idiosyncratic, as in i...

The Saman Chant is one of the oldest musics of which there is any record. This piece Samaveda for flute, voice and tampura is a tribute to this ancient form of Indian sacred music. It is freely based...

Set to the text of John Donne, this work is scored for Solo Baritone, 2 Horns, 2 Trombones, Timpani and Strings.

This work is scored for Alto Flute and Bass Voice. Quoting Tavener: Lament for Constantinople is offered in unspeakable gratitude to the Holy Orthodox Church. For its apophatic theology, a stumbling b...

An intense work for string quartet and solo soprano with words by Kathleen Raine, to whom the work is dedicated. The piece was commissioned by the Wets Cork Chamber Music Festival, and was first perfo...

A piece written by Tavener for the 50th birthday of Prince Charles. This version for soprano and string quartet.

This work was commissioned by the BBC, and first performed on 4th October 1999 at Norwich Cathedral, by Fretwork and Michael Chance (countertenor). Nipson is scored for a consort of viols (2 treble, 2...

A calm and quietly ecstatic work for solo soprano, solo violin and string group (composed of violin I, violin II, viola, cello and double bass).

The Greek word Apokatastasis means a 'spiritual state of ecstasy'. The music should be performed with overwhelming ectasy and inner joy. Composed in 1999 for Fretwork and Michael Chance. Scored for so...

Prayer of the Heart was inspired by The Chain of Hope. This charitable organisation raises money for the treatment of heart disorders in children, including Marfan's Syndrome, of which John Tavener is...

Written for male voice choir, handbells, Tibetian temple bowl and string quintet.

The Sanskrit words Maya and Atma represent the opposites of illusion and reality. This piece, taken from Tavener's large scale choral work Rending Of The Veil Of The Temple starts out in contemplative...

For SATB chorus with optional congregation, Brass, Timpani and Organ.

For Flute (doubling Piccolo), Clarinet in B flat*, Very large Tam-Tam (sounding from a high gallery), and Choir (SSATTBB). * Notated in C in the score. 'According to Hindu Cosmology, we live at the e...

Ensemble parts from the work for Flute (doubling Piccolo), Clarinet in B flat*, Very large Tam-Tam (sounding from a high gallery), and Choir (SSATTBB). * Notated in C in the score. 'According to Hind...